The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1887-08-10
A GLASS EYE.
BY LUCY BLAKE.


before him. Gushing young ladies would
have called him most interesting looking /;
a poet; man with history; the hero of
some unhappy romance, and other
epithets more or less true. He had in
tensely black hair; a heavy black mus
tache; eyes as blue as six-year old
child's; and tall, graceful figure, which
gave him an air of distinction among the
rest of his kind.
IT was tasteless little pretense of a
garden on the roof, with vines painted
on the stucco of its walls to supplement
the meagre growth of the real plant :;
bowers made shady with acacia branches
tied on with cord, and here and there a
pink or white paper camellia fastened to
bushes (which looked far too feeble to
produce authentic blossoms.
Mr.. Leonard Winston, the aggregate of
poet, hero and martyr, privately loathed
the vulgar little garden, the bad coffee
brought him by pink roly poly of a
boy in buttons, and the stale news and
feeble wit in the Vedettd, but he fingered
there in seeming contentment with them
all, because he could enjoy unobserved
behind a screen of fur branches the charm
lent to the place by pretty girl with the
bonniest of Brown eyes, aud the tiniest of
feet in dainty, embroidered Cossack
shoes. She sat with an older lady on
bench in the midst of meagre parterre
of geraniums in pots, and seemed to find
much amusement in letter presented to
her by vealy-looking boy.
"Listen, Clara, dear" she exclaimed.
6 vfntt ,,f l.,
culousi Gertie writes-.'
"But, Valerie, my dear, perhaps we
have listeners" said Mrs. Marshall, in
tone which was intended to be sepul-
chrally low, but which reached Mr.. Win
ston's ears as clearly rs the girls answer
of, No matter if we have. Gertie's
stupidity ought to be published far and
wide as an awful warning to other girls.
This answer reassured the involuntary
eaves-dropper, who was hesitating be-
tween upsetting the iron table or smash
ing the Bella Vista crockery in order hon
orably to make his presence felt before
the conversation between the two ladies
took more confidential turn.
"Well, and what horrible sin has Ger
tie committedW
'hN lltI Hts-Nl ONtT, anu
wearing the willow for, a man with
glass eye! Really in love with him, be-
lieve, in spite of her half-joking account
of her despair. She admits that he didn't
carry his Irritation half as far as dozens
of other men one meets in season. and
therefore she had fancy that he was in
earnest. 1t is easy to read between the
lines that she would have been glad to
give him the encouragement he did not
solicit. He is said to play the violin well;
an additional horror in his case-imagine
the glass eye rolling about in fine fenzy
when he iiddles Rats Cavatina, or some
thing equally sentimental Hum he is
coming TO Florence; should we meet him,
Gertie warns us all to be on our guard
against his destinations, as his intentions
seem to be strictly honorable, but not mat
She might have spared her
self the trouble of that admonition. A
cork leg if he likes, oran empty sleeve
they suggest glory and bravery and bat
ties, but glass eye, ugh! the very
thought gives me the horrors; if he were
the last man on earth l would not look
at him."
"What e silly child you are he might
be most agreeable fellow, and in these
days when they remedy physical defects
so cleverly-"
Perhaps you think l would not be
able to detect the bogus optic. Ha! ha
I'm not 50 easily imposed upon"
Nalerie's childish chatter seemed at
last to weary her auditor behind the fir
for he left his coffee and with
drew, saluting the two ladies as he
passed them, who looked after him with
some CONSERVATION
al didn't know any one was in that
attempt at an arbor,n said
Valerie.
"You said you didn't care" replied
ler friend.
After luncheon the younger feminine
of the Pension Bella Vista put
heir giddy heads together in animated
discussion of the nice-looking, new men
who had arrived.
''IIe looks like poet, or a Nihilist, or
interesting"
"What's his nameT
'Leonard Winston; | read it in the
Strangers List.
''He plays the violin like a finished ar
list, Mr.. Bertram says; their rooms adj
DIN -
"He must have heard the sum and
ubstance of GeTtie's letter when told
Clara this morning. l wonder what he
hought of itln said Valerie Tempest.
III, is fine-looking fellow, certainly" "
he continued; II had a good chance of T.
Judging, for, though he sat nearly op-
,osite me at luncheon, he scarcely hon
'red me with glance; therefore | could I
tudy him at my pleasure.
This was said with a half-scornful, !
little shug of Valerics .
,retty shoulders, which made the other .
,irls laugh.
''It is something new for Valerie Tenn
'est when the men refuse to look at her " Z
"What can you have done to offend .
his AdOnis, child ~
This question, asked in fun, began, as
he days elapsed, to be really yexatious
iddle to Valerie, She, an acknowledged
'eauty, with an undisputed reputation
or wit and cleverness, an exquisite dan
er, and a chauningly sympathetic voice